Welding apparatus



y 3- H. A. STRICKLAND, JR 2,318,024

WELDING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 18, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 N VEN TOR 51G? 98 Harold Q. StrickloncUz.

y WQVL A TTORNE Y thewelding electrodes Patented May 4, i943 WELDING arraaa'rns Harold A. Strickland, In,

assignmto Budd Wheel phia, Pa., a corporation of Grosse Pointe, Mich, Company, Philadel- Pennsylvania Application October 18,1939, Serial No. 299,984

11 Claims.

This invention relates to resistance welding and more particularly to a portable spot welding apparatus in combination with an immediately adjacent transformer.

In welding apparatus of the portable type, and particularly for effecting welds in heavy material, v must be applied to the material under high pressure, and heavy currents of low voltage must be supplied to the electrodes. The use of air pressure in a fluid pressure motor forms the common source of pressure applied to the welding electrodes, and the fluid pressure to operate the motor is supplied through a relatively light flexible air hose. To supply electrical. energy to the welding electrodes, a more-serious situation results since the welding current is of low voltage and heavy amperage. In ordinary portable welding equipment, it is customary to have a stationary transformer connected to the portable welding gun through heavy conductors which are exceptionally cumbersome and in order to reduce their size, are generally water cooled To avoid the heavy cumbersome conductors which obviously impede the portability of the welding gun, the the association of a transformer with a welding gun, the same being portable together. By such an arrangement, it is possible to supply the welding currents to the portable apparatus at high voltage through relatively small leads and avoid the necessity of water cooling the flexible conductors. Additionally, the size of the transformer may be as small as a half of that of the stationary transformer ordinarily used, due to present invention is directed to vide a novel connection between water cooled secondary transformer conductors and a lead sured and inspection readily possible.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a support for a transformer welding gun combination such that the latter may be supported in balanced position and movement thereof may be effected with a minimum of effort.

object of the invention is to provide an improved sliding heavy current connector to a reciprocating welding electrode carrying member.

The. above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the fact that line losses in the form of resistance and inductive reactance are substantially completely eliminated. Because of the reduced size of the transformer permissible as a result of the combination, the same becomes less cumbersome to handle than the former type of welding gun connected to a. stationary transformer through portable leads and frequent replacement of such costly heavy. leads due to continued flexing is avoided.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to V combination of portable welding provide a novel gun and transformer.

Another object of the invention is to so associate a welding transformer with a welding gun that the transformer windings and connections to the gun are so short as to afford minimum losses.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination transformer and welding gun in the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the inventio' reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings; wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig; 1 is a side elevation of a welding gun transformer combination and its support;

. Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the welding gun transformer and its support from the front;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 4-4 as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 1; Fig. -5 is a section taken substantially on the line 5-5 of F18. 1;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the upper por tion of the combination, taken from the back of the combination, illustrating the position and arrangement of the transformer, the back section of the casing being removed for this purpose.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged elevational view of the transformer with portions thereof broken away as at H and welding be formed of complementary sections- 36 and 38 between which piston rod 42 shoulder 56 member 54.

' bination welding gun and transformer, the same having a casing H), a support generally indicated electrodes l4 and IB.. Casing l may l8 and 28 as especially shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the sections together forming a cavity of suitable shape for closely and compactly housing the transformer 24. One of the casing members, 18, has integrally formed therein a fluid pressure cylinder 26 arranged at one side of the transformer cavity and actuate. the welding electrode same under pressure against the work pieces in which welds are to be effected. l The cylinder 26'contains a reciprocating piston 28 adapted to be forced downward by air pressure entering the top of the cylinder through the port 38, it being understood that air pressure sup plied to the cylinder may be conveniently controlled from a control button 32 conveniently'located with respect to the handle 3% arranged adjacent, the upper end of the fluid pressure cyl-. inder. The piston 28 .is composed of members is a leatherwasher M], the members 36 and 38 and the washer d0 being .clamped together upon the end of a piston rod 42 through a bolt M threaded rod.

The'piston rod at its in the end of the lower end projects from the cylinder and carries the welding. electrode hi, the electrode being carried in an ofiset block B6 secured against the lower rod by a central bolt 48. By offsetting the welding electrode from the central axis of the'cylinder a bending moment isplaced upon the piston rod and assurance is thereby had that the piston rod and piston will make good electrical connection with the cylinder.

In .order to prevent relative rotation of the. and the cylinder 26 and provide good electrical contact to the piston rod, the piston rod is square through a pair of contact blocks 59. and 52 forming a split sleeve secured to and extending through the end closure member 54 of 'the cylinder.

The blocks together form a split square aperture through which the piston rod may reciprocate and areprovided with an annular external which is adapted to seat.in an an- 58 on the inside of the end closure The blocks are held in position with their shoulders 56 seated in the annular recess 58 by aheavy return spring 60 one end of which bears againstthe shoulders 56 and the other end of which bears against the piston member 38.

To provide adequate lubrication between the rodi42 and the blocks 59 and 52, the rod is bored thruout it's len-gthas at 43, and transverseports 45 provided extending from the hollow 43 to the rod surface. By filling the hollow with grease or'lubricant, and plugging the end by the bolts 44 and 48, adequat.e lubrication effective over long periods is provided. l

The lower electrode i6 is supported upon an arm 62 which is clamped in position againstv a depending tongue 84 forming an-integral part of the cylinder casing section l8. To insulate the electrode, the shank nular roove semi-cylindrical. layer of insulation portion, a

65 from theextension 12 is adapted to bear upon the shank from the extension in cured and the clamping member whichit is seis held in'posi- I l and engage the end of the piston throughout its length and slides hollow at either 66 of the arm 62 is clamped in a semi-cylindrical recess 68 of the extension washers I6 and suitable sleeves around thereof (not shown).

The transformer arranged in the recess 18 I I formed by the sections 18 and 20 of the casing is provided with a core II having an 8 configuration, and a secondary winding I3 arranged in three layers intermediately spaced by primary windings 15. Each secondary approximately ductor made upof four hollow tubes laid Side by side as is best illustrated in Fig. 'I. The individual tubes 18 of the conductor may preferably be square as illustrated in contact with one an'-. other and between conductors a thin strip of insulation 88 is provided to separate the turn from adjacent turns. Because .it is desirableto use as small a transformer as possible under the presj former be water cooled and particularly the secondary thereof, but where there are numerous parallel conductors, each requiring water cooling, for best efiiciency, it 'is necessary that the fluid be distributed equallyamong the various tubes of the conductors. In order to assure such uniform distribution of coolingfluid, the conductor at the ends of the turns are given a right angle bendv as at 84, and the conductor nal connectors 88 and distributing chamber 99 adjacent the conductor tubes; Each terminal connector has a cylindrical porti0n.92 and a flattened end portion 94 provided with side flanges 98 to form the chamber 90 and the tiori 92 has a central bore ing into the chamber 98. To secure tors to the terminal connector, the

may be slotted as at NO and the square con-j ductors of each layer laid in the slot and silver soldered or otherwise secured in the slot and thereafter in order to completethe chamber .a cover plate-102 having an end flange I84 may be soldered to the nector bar and ing chamber 99 98 therethrough'leadthus provide from which all conductors may receive an equal amount of cooling fluid at a unitransformer reduced, but adequate cooling of the primary afforded without directly supplying the same 'with coolant.

tween-the shoulders I06 and I98 formed by the casing members and the 88 may pass out being provided. It will be observed in Fig. '7 that the left hand terminal connector 88 extends further into the transformer aperture than the right, hand terminal conductor in order to accommodate the offset in the ends of the secondary windings,"and it will be also observed tha'tthe terminal conductors nest or he in a spacewhich -'would otherwise be wasted in former construction. Connections from the shank layer comprises, three turns composed of a con-.

ent circumstances, itis necessary that the transends 86 of the various layers are led into termiv 88 having a cooling fluid the ends of cylindrical shank por-- the conducv flat portion flanges of the end of the conthe closed distribut- The transformer-core may be clamped beterminal connectors 88, v

of the casing section 1 18' through apertures H8; insulating bushings M2- the usual trans the terminal connectors 88 v made, it will be found that no extreme I the position shown in Fig. 1-.

and 88' are best illustrated in Fig. 4 wherein-a connection from the terminal connector 88 to the lower electrode and its supporting arm 62 is com pleted in an expeditious manner through the clamp I I4 which'inturn is electrically connected to the adjacent clamping member or plate "I2 through an extension H6 thereof. The other terminal 88' is-connected through a clamp member II8 embracing the terminal connector and which is in turn electrically connected to a second clamped memberl2fl which embraces the sleev -blocks 50 and 52 to make connection with the piston rod and the upper electrode l4. The clamp I may be adjusted to provide any desired pressureupon the blocks 50, 52 to assure good electrical contact to the piston rod and in practice, because of the broad area planar surfaces with which electrical contact is pressures are required for sufficient electrical contact.

.While 'most of the parts are preferably madev of light material, except where electrical conduction is concerned, in which case copper alloys are employed, the transformer itself having a considerable quantity of iron therein adds considerable weight to the apparatus. In order to facilitate use of the apparatus, a novel suspension is provided. To either side of the casing are positioned bars I24 and I26 having grooved roll ers I28 in the ends thereof adapted to' roll upon an annular internal ridge I30 of a supporting ring I32 and the supporting ring is in turn pivottegral with the ring I32. The axis of the trunnions I38 is designed so as to pass substantially .through the center of gravity of the combined welding gun and transformer but preferably the axis-islocated slightly above by an amount just suflicient to causethe apparatus to normally take By supporting the gun from a counterbalanced cable, it'will appear engage the work at various angles the assembly being rotatable within the ring and ahgularly movable as a result of the trunnion supportand because of the substantial balance of the apparatus but a small amount of to place-the gun-in any desired position.-

To supply water cooling to the transformer, hose connections are made to the'shank ends of the terminal connectors 88 and 88' as is shown in Fig. 2, at I40 and I40, and variousother cooling connections may be made for example to the offset block, 46 and the arm 62 for cooling hollow spaces such as may be formed therein as is well understood in the art. The only flexible connections therefore necessary to the gun are are relatively light and formaminimum impediment to the portability of the apparatus. Because of the relative closeness of the transformer to the gun, and extreme shortness of the leads, great eflflciency is obtained and because of the novel arrangement thereof, space and weight easily handled apparatus provided.

Though a singleembodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited thereand the, I

to but may embody any various other mechanical and electrical forms. construction and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be-had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the in- 1 vention. I Claims to the-welding apparatus comprising the combination of transformer electrodes and fluid pressure cylinder and piston constitute the subject of my co pending application, Serial No; 1940, for Welding ap- 366,242, filed November 19, paratus.

What is claimed is:

1. In a welding apparatus, atransformer having a secondary, said secondary comprising a plu rality of parallelly connected hollow conductors,

a terminal connection for said conductors adapt-.

- ed to be connected to said conductors at a subally hung from a yoke I34, the yoke being provided with eyes I36 embracing trunnions I38 instantialangle, said terminal connector compris-.

ing a. hollow tubular portion. merging into an open end channel channel portion forreceiving the. ends of said conductors from the opposite side from the flanges of the channel portion, and a cover plate that the same may be readily shifted about to effort is required -for said channel uting chamberthereofe '2. In a'welding ing a secondary,-said secondary comprising a plu rality of parallelly connected hollow conductors,

a terminal connection for saidconductors adapted to be connected to said conductors at a substantial angle, said terminal connector comprising a hollow. tubular'portion merging into an open end portion, apertures in said open end portion for receiving the ends of said conductors from -the'opposite side from which the hollow portion opens, and a cover forsai'd open end portion.

- 3. In the method of-connecting a plurality of parallel water cooled hollow-conductors to a terthe water cooling connections. the air connection I44, and the extremely flexible cable I46 supplying a high voltage for the primary of the transformer and .such' other control connections as may be found desirable. In practice, a control button 32 may be electrically, connected thru. a wire 34' to a valve in the air pressure line remote from the weldin gun and adjacent the-source of supply andthe welding current may be caused to flow as a result of pressure built up ln the cylinder 26,-a pressure switch being used for-this purpose as is likewise well understood in the art.

It will thus appear that there is provided a transformer and welding gun combination which is relatively light in weight, assures eflicient operation andwhich is highly portable. Additionally, Such flexible connections as are required 75 manner.

the intervening concentric ner by fusing metal therearound and thereafter covering over the open portion in a water tight 4. In a welding apparatus, a transformer having a secondary-composed of a plurality of'interconnected hollow conductors forming at least two layers in concentrically spaced relation from each other, a primary winding arranged within directly cooling said secondary conductors by passing a coolant therethru and for thereby inhas' been conserved and a compact, well balanced,

As manychanges in the portion, aperturesin said portion to form. a closed distribapparatus, a transformer havspace, and means for to provide a fluid directly cooling said intervening primary wind- 5. A transformer having one of its windings comprised of a plurality of heavy hollow conductors, another conductor to which the flrst conductors are secured, said last-mentioned conductor having an axial fluid passage therein extending to adjacent the first-mentioned conductors, said axial passage extending through a wall of th second-mentioned adjacent the firstmentioned conductors, and a cover enclosing the end portion of the second conductor from back of the place where its axial passage extends through,

passage that is outside the second conductor and connects with the passages within the first conductors and that within the second conductor.

6. A transformer comprising a core, a primary winding and a secondary winding on'said core,

the primary winding having a much larger number of turns than said secondary winding, said secondary winding having hollow conductors through which a cooling fluid is adapted to fiow and which presents at least two concentrically spaced layers, at least a substantial part of the primary winding being placed between concentric layers of contiguous secondary conductors whereby the primary winding may be cooled by the secondary winding.

'7. A transformer comprising a core, a primary winding and a secondary winding on said core, the primary winding having a much larger number of turns than the secondary winding, said secondary winding having hollow conductors through which a cooling fluid is adapted to flow,

said conductors being arranged in at least three concentric layers with a space between each two successive layers, at least a major portion of the primary winding being placed in the spaces between said concentric layers of contiguous secondary conductors whereby the primary winding may be cooled by the secondary winding, said portion of the primary winding being divided into sections each of which is cooled on its opposite sides by said secondary winding.

8. A transformer having an 8-shaped laminated core, primary and secondary convolutions upon the central portion of said core and extending through the upper and lower recessed portions thereof, the secondary convolutions being arranged in at least two concentrically arranged but radially spaced layers, the conductors of the secondary each being hollow, whereby a cooling fluid may be circulated therethrough and at least a part of the primary convolutions being intermediate layers of concentric layers of secondary convolutions whereby the primary convolutions may be cooled by contiguous layers of secondary convolutions.

9. In a. transformer, a secondary composed of a plurality of parallelly connected hollow conductor windings, said windings forming at least two layers of which theone is arranged in concentrically spaced relation around the other, the space between two layers of secondary conductor windings being filled by primary windings, said secondary windings being adapted for passing a coolant therethrough for cooling said secondary windings as well as the primary windings on account of the intimate association of the latter with the former. v

10. In a transformer, a hollow conductor arranged in winding presenting substantially the form of a hollow cylinder or prism, said hollow conductor being adapted for having a coolant sent through its interior, at least one side of the cylinder or prism being covered by a greater number of windings of a conductor of smaller cross-section which windings present likewise the form of a hollow cylinder or prism, said arrangement permitting indirect cooling of the lastnamed windings by means of a coolant flowing through the first-named conductor.

11. In a transformer, two sets of windings, one set of windings having a comparatively small number of convolutions only and beingconstituted by hollow conductors of large cross-sectional and surface area, said hollow conductors being adapted for the circulation of a cooling medium therethrough, said other set of windings comprising a much greater number of convolutions and being formed by a conductor having much smaller cross-sectional dimensions than said hollow conductors, the conductors of the other set being arranged in a layer which is arranged contiguously to one surface of the hollow conductors the thickness of said layer being such that itscenter is less than twice the thickness of the smaller conductors from the surface of the hollow conductors so that a cooling medium sent through the hollow conductors will effectively indirectly cool the other conductors.

HAROLD A. STRICKLAND, JR. 

